Have you ever looked at your energy bill and wondered where those extra digits came from? If you’re not one of the lucky few whose electricity bill is inaccurate, that means one thing: your home is using up more energy than before. If you want to learn how to lower your energy bill in Bristol, CT, what’s the next step?
Our family-owned and operated SM Mechanical Services LLC has spent the last 15 years serving this and surrounding areas. In that time, we’ve earned 190 five-star reviews, making us #1 for HVAC services in Bristol, CT, and other system solutions that affect your utility usage. Trust us to find you the energy-saving solutions you need, starting with the tips below.
The Importance of Lowering Your Energy Costs
If you’re like the average Bristol homeowner, you probably use roughly 914 kilowatt-hours each month, with each kWh costing around 29 cents. According to Payscale, that translates to $258.49 in energy costs monthly, which is about 29% higher than the national average. You pay more for heating, cooling, lighting, and other utilities than the typical American household, so it’s understandable that you’ll want to find out how to lower your energy bill in Bristol, CT.
In a city where the overall cost of living is about 4% higher than the U.S. average (thanks to housing, utilities, and groceries), the last thing you want is to pay more out of pocket. That’s far from the only reason to try for lower energy usage, though. Lowering electricity consumption monthly also means:
- Lower carbon footprint. Less reliance on fossil fuels makes your household more eco-friendly.
- Better home comfort. A home that uses less energy sustains its controlled indoor climate better and provides energy optimally.
- Increased property value. Market appeal rests on many factors, and energy-efficient houses certainly attract interest.
Top Ways To Reduce Your Energy Usage in Bristol
Raising your cool setting, lowering your heating temperature, and turning off more lights in your home are not the only ways to reduce your energy usage and costs! Below are some additional methods that’ll help without affecting your comfort.
Programmable and Smart Thermostats
Do you have a traditional thermostat and wonder how to lower your energy bills in Bristol? You could manually move the dial to turn your HVAC system on and off throughout the day or week, toggling between savings and comfort.
For instance, if you follow the EnergyStar recommendations, your thermostat is set to 78 degrees when you’re home and turned up or down eight degrees in the summer or winter, respectively, when you’re out. You also turn it between 60 and 67 degrees when you’re sleeping. If you forget, you burn unnecessary electricity when you’re not around, but if you had a programmable Bristol thermostat, it could remember for you.
For example:
- 7-day programming. Each day of the week has different settings according to your schedule.
- One-week programming. The same setting applies to each day.
- 5-1-1 programming. Monday to Friday uses one setting, Saturday has another, and Sunday has a third configuration.
- 5-2 programming. Weekend settings are different from the five other days.
A Smart thermostat is another version, adding the convenience of allowing you to control your indoor Bristol temperature from anywhere. Knowing how to lower your energy bills with this device involves connecting to your phone, laptop, or tablet to raise or lower temperatures as you please.
Better Household Insulation
What’s the point of a better thermostat system if your Bristol home isn’t keeping that perfectly controlled climate indoors? The U.S. Department of Energy claims more than 30% of households lose or gain indoor heat via openings like windows and doors. Even cracks and crevices in the exterior walls, outlets, baseboards, or chimneys cause drafts.
When this occurs, your HVAC unit performs longer cycles and works harder to combat fluctuating indoor temperatures. Not only does this cause your system to decline and encourage hot and cold spots indoors, but it also causes higher energy costs.
Having a Bristol professional conduct an audit allows you to find and caulk any holes in your home’s exterior walls and ceiling. It’ll also help you determine how much air passes through door and window gaps. That way, you have a chance to weatherstrip or seal them.
Natural Indoor Lighting
Now that you know how to lower your energy bills with heating and cooling improvements, you may wonder about lighting. It’s common for residents to open up doors and windows to let Bristol’s 15 hours of direct daily sunlight in over the summer. However, it’s not so easy to receive this natural light overnight or during 17-degree winter lows.
Luckily, there’s another way to bring that light into your home – solar panels. Your solar panels likely sit on your rooftop, absorbing rays from the sun during the winter and deterring them over the summer so that they don’t heat your roof too much.
The PV panel cells store and turn this energy into electrons, which they then release as electrical currents to Bristol household systems and appliances. By using this natural source of energy from the sun, you rely less on utility providers. In turn, you owe them less at the end of each billing cycle.
Other Methods for Lowering Your Monthly Bills in Bristol, Connecticut
Need other tips on how to lower your energy bills in Bristol, CT?
- Use LED lighting instead of incandescent ones for less heat generation and energy consumption.
- Switch to energy-efficient appliances with a SEER rating of 16 or higher.
- Turn on ceiling fans instead of air conditioners or pair them with a higher AC unit setting.
For Five-Star Bristol Services, Trust a Five-Star Team!
Saving on energy bills is something every homeowner wants, and that’s far easier to achieve with a licensed and insured team like SM Mechanical Services LLC in your area. We have over 15 years of experience with these systems. Whether you want to uncover furnace whistle reasons or know more about how to lower your energy bills in Bristol, CT, don’t hesitate to contact us!